Andrej Babiš sworn in as head of Czech minority government

PRAGUE — Czech President Miloš Zeman formally appointed Andrej Babiš as the country’s prime minister Wednesday, ending eight months of political deadlock since the billionaire businessman’s center-right ANO party won parliamentary elections.

At a nomination ceremony at Prague Castle, Babiš pledged to work to maintain security and "against migration, corruption, waste and bureaucracy."

Both Zeman and Babiš are strong critics of the European Union’s migrant quota directive, with Babiš insisting that the EU should tackle migration by reinforcing its external borders and offering more aid to countries in the Middle East and Africa — where most of the refugees originate.

While ANO topped the polls in October’s parliamentary vote, it failed to win enough seats in the Chamber of Deputies to govern alone. In January, Babiš's minority government lost a parliamentary vote of confidence as most other parties refused to support him as prime minister after he was charged by police with defrauding the EU of a 2 million euro subsidy. Babiš denies any wrongdoing and says the charges are politically motivated.

Zeman helped cobble together an unlikely coalition of ANO and the center-left Social Democrats — a party he once led. Social Democrat Chairman Jan Hamáček put the proposal to party members across the country, with nearly 60 percent voting in favor of joining the coalition.

For the first time since 1989, we have a semi-communist government" — ODS deputy Zbyněk Stanjura

But with only a combined 93 deputies in the 200-seat Chamber, ANO and the Social Democrats will need the support of at least eight of the15 Communist Party deputies at the next confidence vote, to be held July 11 — the first time the communists will have been in a position to exert political pressure since the communist regime was ousted in the Velvet Revolution in late 1989 after four decades of rule.

The communists decided Saturday to support Babiš in the confidence vote, and will note that Babiš has rejected their demand to reduce Czech participation in NATO missions.

Ruling with the support of the communists could risk alienating Czech voters. There have been demonstrations against their having any influence on the new government.

A deputy from the center-right ODS,Zbyněk Stanjura, commented on the ČT 24 website: "For the first time since 1989, we have a semi-communist government. This is the worst news of today. It is obvious that the communists have demands and will gradually ratchet them up.”

After Zeman rejected the Social Democrats’ choice for the post of foreign minister, Miroslav Poche, because of his support of EU migrant quotas, Czech TV reported that Hamáček will temporarily take the job until a full-time candidate is found.